(116) 'The Choice Of A Floating Voter!'

[Ken]

As a young man I recall being told, 'If you don't vote Labour when you're twenty, you haven't got a heart, but if you still vote Labour when you're forty, you haven't got a brain!'  I thought that was a hard judgement, particularly on my brothers, Bob and Len, who were Labour-ites approaching forty.  So, in my mind, I amended the last line to say, 'you're not using your brain,' for I don't think my brothers were.  To always vote the same way because of tribal loyalty is ridiculous, it makes no sense.  That's why I applaud the people who listen to the arguments and vote accordingly.  Sometimes that gives fresh faces a new broom to sweep clean with and a chance to make Britain a better place.  This happens because of people like me, the floating voters of this world whose minds are not closed.  Our votes make democracy work!

In the 1966 General Election I listened to the results as they came in on what we then called the Wireless. We were gathered at Seymour Glue's house and the mood was one of merriment for a Labour victory was assured.  In those days you had to be twenty one to vote and I wasn't quite old enough, but, four years later on 18.6.1970, I was.  I voted Labour which proved I had a heart.  To do so, Jenny and I came back two days early from our Honeymoon in exotic Brighton but our trip was in vain, for Labour lost.  I'd grown up with Labour in my blood for Dad had always been a staunch, Daily Herald reading, supporter. Three of his sons, Bob, Len and Gordon, had all, at some time, canvassed for the party but, in the years to come, I realised I'd begun to change.  I'd found, to my surprise, I was impressed with the new Conservative Prime Minister, Edward Heath, and disliking the divisive selfishness of some of the union leaders, I gave him my vote in the next election.  Clearly, my floating voter days had arrived, but did that prove I had a brain?

I seldom vote for policies alone and I admit to voting for individuals who look and act like leaders.  That drew me to Maggie Thatcher and the Conservatives in the 1979 Election.  In the 1983 and 1987 Elections my vote went to the SDP - Liberal Alliance.  I was not overly impressed with the Liberal leader, David Steel, but everything about the SDP's, David Owen, I admired greatly.  I still rate him as the best, 'Prime Minister we never had,' and even today, I hang on his every word whenever he's speaks. The word, 'Charismatic,' is used far too frequently when describing leaders but it fits, David Owen, to perfection.  In the 1992 Election I voted for Labour and Neil Kinnock.  I disliked the way the press treated him for he'd done a good job after the debacle of the Michael Foot and Tony Benn years.  However, his over confidence let his party down at the infamous Sheffield rally and they lost to John Major's conservative's.  Sadly, in my opinion, he was to let his party down again in a far worse way when, in 2010, he made a dreadful error of judgement!

But before then came the death of Labours leader, John Smith, and the beginning of the Blair/Brown era of politics.  The Landslide Election victory of 1997 that followed gave Labour a huge 179 seat majority and Tony Blair became our new Prime minister. This was almost equalled in his 2001 success when again he got my vote for I felt no need to 'float' in any other direction.  In 2007, Gordon Brown, replaced him at the top but only until the 2010 election when, he was ousted, and the first Coalition Government since the war was formed.  The Conservative leader, David Cameron, became it's Prime Minister, with the Liberal's Nick Clegg as the Deputy PM.  Neither of their party's had won my vote, for I'd voted Labour for the fifth time in a row.  That won't happen this time for events have put me firmly back in my floating voter mode!

Neil Kinnock's dreadful error of judgement came to fruition on, 25.9.2010.  That was when Ed Miliband was elected, Leader of the Labour Party, and it was the now, Lord Kinnock's, fault.  It was he who persuaded a reluctant Ed, to stand against his more gifted brother, David.  Instead of strong a opposition in Parliament, led by the likes of David Miliband and Alan Johnson, we've got a second rate bunch of dead eyed wannabes who impress me not one jot.  People like the politically correct, Harriet Harperson, Ed, bully boy, Balls, and the leader himself, Ed Millisecond.  He's called that because the millisecond he starts talking, his off putting mannerism's mean not a word sinks in.  With the exception of the first rate, Andy Burnham, the Labour top brass truly are an unimpressive bunch who I wouldn't give the time of day to, let alone my vote.  I pray the electorate don't give them theirs.  I'm convinced Lord Kinnock's meddling has harmed the entire country, and that includes Labours cataclysmic collapse in Scotland and the continued rise of the break up Britain, Scottish National Party.  Could Lord Kinnock not see that the energised Scottish nation would never take to the mediocre leadership on offer from Harperson, Balls and Ed Millisecond?

So where should this floating voter put his vote?  In truth it will make no difference to the results in my constituency for Plaid Cymru's already a foregone winner.  But I want my vote to be added to the national count and so I'll be guided by those politicians who have impressed me with their words, talent, manner and overall fairness.  I've also been guided by appearances for I believe I can judge a book by it's cover, despite the advice that one should never do so.  The overly combative, but fair minded Defence Minister, Anna Soubry always impresses me, as does Rory Stewart, Matthew Hancock and Ed Vaizey. They're all Tories and in a different class to their labour and Lib-Dem counterparts.  I have found that Steven Woolfe, Suzanne Evans, Paul Nuttall and Patrick O'Flynn all argue their case well, often with good humour.  Yet they are treated by some of the press as pariah's and I ask myself why?  The answer is simple, prejudice on behalf of a sometimes biased media, for their crime is they are potential members of Parliament for, UKIP.  

I have found their leader, Nigel Farage, to be articulate, clever, entertaining and brave.  He is undoubtedly provocative but those who call him a racist have obviously not listened to him.  I constantly see people of a certain type curl their lip at the mention of his name, then they besmirch him, but only because it's the done thing to do.  I find this so annoying that I in turn curl my lip at the shallowness of such hypocrite's, in my younger days I would have suggested that they button their lips.  However, despite my admiration for Nigel Farage, he won't get my vote, for I still believe in the European Union.  But three of my closest friends do intend to vote UKIP, although I don't think they'll fare very well for nationwide their vote will be spread too thin. They will probably poll more votes than the Liberals and the SNP put together, but their bums on seats as Member's of Parliament will number less than ten.  In a true democracy that is wrong!  

So what other choice does this floating voter has?  The Green Party, with the indecisive Natalie Bennett in charge is an absolute, one hundred percent, no-no to the likes of me. Therefore, I've concluded that in this, the 2015 General Election, my vote has to go to the Tories for they've shown leadership and strength. I've grown to like and trust David Cameron and I have no problem at all being governed by a band of privileged Toffs. In my opinion these Toffs seem to know what they're doing.  In the end my decision came down to the simple truth that I preferred, Prime Minister David Cameron's, bright eyed Conservatives to the dead eyed alternative's offered by Ed Miliband's Labour.  Lord Kinnock, you've got a lot to answer for!

[Tom]

Good Evening,  Yes i too am following the lead up to the election with interest although i do not vote myself now, I also find Cameron and Osborne a couple of typical Etonians but they do appear to know what they are doing. I cannot see however how any party or combination of is going to get a working majority. Labour plus the SNP plub the Lib Dems would be the most likely, So i suspect another election in the autumn.        May i be proved wrong and i hope for a working Cameron led coalition.  Best wishes  Tom

[Ken]

This tells of the almost certain direction my vote will go in the forthcoming General Election, and of the part, Lord Neil Kinnock, played in my decision to once again become a Floating Voter!

[Ken]

Hello Sir Thomas.
                       Thank you for your recent reply to one of my, Cosy, blogs.  Eight days from now and I'll know if my fear of a Labour Government has come true.  I've been amazed that the contest has been so close and I wondered are you still following events, I presume you get all your information on line with regard to dear old Blighty?

I hope you are well and continue to enjoy your life in far away places, its interesting to discover where fate sends us all.  Do you recall my fascination with all things German?  In the main it didn't revolve around the 'Hitler' period, but the earlier era where hundreds of little Kingdoms and Principalities, gradually merged to become what is modern Germany.  My son Morgan inherited that fascination as a youngster and ten years ago decided he'd like to spend a year in a German speaking country.  He chose Austria and that's where he's lived and worked for the past decade.  His mother and I are quite excited for he's coming home for a months visit this Saturday and, apart from some Skype chats, we haven't seen him in the flesh since 2011. So next weeks election will see two members of the Tuffs family staying up late awaiting the results, I suspect we will be rooting for different outcomes.

All the best Tom.

   Ken FMH